Medical stereoscopic observation device, medical stereoscopic observation method, program, and medical stereoscopic observation system

Abstract

There is provided a medical stereoscopic observation device, including: an acquisition section that acquires a first signal associated with a first imaging section and a second signal associated with a second imaging section via mutually different transmission channels; and a switching section that switches a signal to use for a certain control between the first signal and the second signal, in accordance with a state of the transmission channel for transmitting the first signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A medical stereoscopic observation device, comprising:
 processing circuitry configured to
 acquire a first signal controlling a first imaging device, the first imaging device including a first image sensor and a first optical system, 
 acquire a second signal controlling a second imaging device, the second imaging device including a second image sensor and a second optical system, and 
 control switching between the first signal and the second signal, in accordance with a state of a first transmission channel for transmitting the first signal, to provide the second signal to the first imaging device via a second transmission channel from the second imaging device, the second transmission channel connecting the first imaging device and the second imaging device, wherein 
 
 the processing circuitry is provided in the first imaging device, 
 the processing circuitry is configured to receive the first signal directly from an external device, the external device including common signal generator circuitry configured to generate the first signal and the second signal, the external device controlling operation of each of the first imaging device and the second imaging device, and 
 the processing circuitry is configured to receive the second signal generated by the external device via the second imaging device and the second transmission channel to provide the second signal to the first imaging device, in response to the processing circuitry switching to the second signal in accordance with the state of the first transmission channel. 
 
     
     
       2. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first signal is a first synchronization signal for controlling a timing of operation of the first imaging device, 
 the second signal is a second synchronization signal for controlling a timing of operation of the second imaging device, and 
 the processing circuitry is further configured to
 switch between the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal in accordance with a state of the transmission channel for transmitting the first synchronization signal, and 
 supply a switched one of the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal to the first imaging device. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to  claim 2 , wherein a value of the first synchronization signal and a value of the second synchronization signal are equal. 
     
     
       4. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to
 acquire the first signal from the first imaging device, and 
 acquire the second signal from the second imaging device. 
 
     
     
       5. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the second signal includes information output from the second imaging device, and 
 at least part of information output from the first imaging device. 
 
     
     
       6. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to
 temporarily stop the switching in accordance with a state of the first signal and the second signal. 
 
     
     
       7. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to
 notify the external device of a detection result of a state of each of the first transmission channel for transmitting the first signal and the second transmission channel for transmitting the second signal. 
 
     
     
       8. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to
 adjust a phase difference between the first signal and the second signal. 
 
     
     
       9. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first transmission channel for transmitting the first signal is bendably configured. 
 
     
     
       10. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a support that supports the first imaging device and the second imaging device, wherein 
 at least part of the first transmission channel for transmitting the first signal is supported by the support. 
 
     
     
       11. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second signal controlling the second imaging device is split, the second signal being transmitted to the second imaging device and to the first imaging device via the second imaging device. 
     
     
       12. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first transmission channel and the second transmission channel operatively-couple the first imaging device and the second imaging device, respectively, to a common signal generator configured to generate the first signal and the second signal. 
     
     
       13. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first transmission channel connects the first imaging device and an image processing device. 
     
     
       14. A medical stereoscopic observation method, comprising:
 acquiring, by processing circuitry, a first signal controlling a first imaging device, the first imaging device including a first image sensor and a first optical system; 
 acquiring, by the processing circuitry, a second signal controlling a second imaging device, the second imaging device including a second image sensor and a second optical system; and 
 switching, by the processing circuitry, between the first signal and the second signal in accordance with a state of a first transmission channel for transmitting the first signal, to provide the second signal to the first imaging device via a second transmission channel from the second imaging device, the second transmission channel connecting the first imaging device and the second imaging device, wherein 
 the processing circuitry is provided in the first imaging device, 
 the method further comprises receiving, using the processing circuitry, the first signal directly from an external device, the external device including common signal generator circuitry configured to generate the first signal and the second signal, the external device controlling operation of each of the first imaging device and the second imaging device, and 
 the method further comprises receiving, by the processing circuitry, the second signal generated by the external device via the second imaging device and the second transmission channel to provide the second signal to the first imaging device, in response to the processing circuitry switching to the second signal in accordance with the state of the first transmission channel. 
 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method, comprising:
 acquiring, by processing circuitry, a first signal controlling a first imaging device, the first imaging device including a first image sensor and a first optical system; and 
 acquiring, by the processing circuitry, a second signal controlling a second imaging device, the second imaging device including a second image sensor and a second optical system; and 
 switching, by the processing circuitry, between the first signal and the second signals in accordance with a state of a first transmission channel for transmitting the first signal, to provide the second signal to the first imaging device via a second transmission channel from the second imaging device, the second transmission channel connecting the first imaging device and the second imaging device, wherein 
 the processing circuitry is provided in the first imaging device, 
 the method further comprises receiving, using the processing circuitry, the first signal directly from an external device, the external device including common signal generator circuitry configured to generate the first signal and the second signal, the external device controlling operation of each of the first imagine device and the second imaging device, and 
 the method further comprises receiving, by the processing circuitry, the second signal generated by the external device via the second imaging device and the second transmission channel to provide the second signal to the first imaging device, in response to the processing circuitry switching to the second signal in accordance with the state of the first transmission channel. 
 
     
     
       16. A medical stereoscopic observation system, comprising:
 an image capture device that includes a first imaging device and a second imaging device, the first imaging device including a first image sensor and a first optical system, the second imaging device including a second image sensor and a second optical system; 
 an image processing device, including first processing circuitry configured to generate an imaging control parameter, that performs image processing, via first signal processing and second signal processing, on images captured by the first imaging device and the second imaging device; 
 a transmission cable that connects the image capture device to the image processing device; and 
 second processing circuitry configured to
 acquire a first signal controlling the first imaging device via a first transmission channel provided along the transmission cable, 
 acquire a second signal controlling the second imaging device via a second transmission channel different from the first transmission channel and provided along the transmission cable, and 
 control switching between the first signal and the second signals in accordance with a state of the first transmission channel for transmitting the first signal, to provide the second signal to the first imaging device via the second transmission channel from the second imaging device, the second transmission channel connecting the first imaging device and the second imaging device, wherein 
 
 the first signal and the second signal provide the imaging control parameter, 
 the second processing circuitry is provided in the first imaging device, 
 the second processing circuitry is configured to receive the first signal directly from an external device the external device including common signal generator circuitry configured to generate the first signal and the second signal, the external device controlling operation of each of the first imaging device and the second imaging device, and 
 the second processing circuitry is configured to receive the second signal generated by the external device via the second imaging device and the second transmission channel to provide the second signal to the first imaging device, in response to the second processing circuitry switching to the second signal in accordance with the state of the first transmission channel. 
 
     
     
       17. The medical stereoscopic observation system according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a support that supports the image capture device, wherein 
 at least part of the transmission cable is supported by the support. 
 
     
     
       18. The medical stereoscopic observation device according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 an endoscope device that includes an insertion portion having an elongated shape to be inserted into a test subject's body, wherein 
 the image capture device is held on a front end of the insertion portion, and 
 at least part of the transmission cable is provided along the insertion portion. 
 
     
     
       19. The medical stereoscopic observation system according to  claim 16 , wherein the first signal and the second signal are generated by a common signal generator, the common signal generator being operatively-coupled to the first transmission channel and to the second transmission channel provided along the transmission cable.